BOSTON – Everyone on the Bruins had their own way of welcoming center Marc Savard back to the lineup tonight at TD Garden.

But the best thing his mates in black and gold did for Savard was erupt for eight goals in a rout of the Tampa Bay Lightning. After all, the pivot known as one of the league’s premier playmakers, didn’t get on the score sheet in 15:45 of ice time.

“I think that’s the first eight goals the team has scored that I haven’t had anything on [the score sheet], but I kept telling Claude [Julien] I was a presence tonight,” said Savard after his first game since last May’s playoff series with Philadelphia. “I felt good. Obviously I had some shifts where I felt a little tired and as the battles wore on.”

For Patrice Bergeron, who knows what it’s like to come back from a lengthy concussion absence, the way to welcome Savard was a couple love taps with the stick at center ice during warm-ups. For starting goaltender Tim Thomas, it was a last-minute decision to step aside after leading the team onto the ice for warm-ups and allow Savard to take a quick spin around the zone all by his lonesome.

“It was just a joke. Hopefully it helped Savvy relax a little bit because you’re probably nervous after a long time [off] like that,” said Thomas.

Savard said he thought Thomas’ move was “funny.” He also said he got a little emotional from the fans’ reaction. First there was the standing ovation for Savard’s first shift. And then during the first television timeout, PA announcer Jim Martin urged the crowd to welcome back Savard. In response to the standing ovation, Savard stood up and gave a couple waves Queen Elizabeth style.

All the pleasantries aside, Savard’s return was most important to the Bruins in that for the first time all year they put their expected opening-night lineup on the ice against Tampa Bay. They’re a team built around the goaltending tandem of Thomas and Tuukka Rask, and their triumvirate of top-caliber, two-way centers – Savard, Bergeron and David Krejci.

“It was a little different. It was fun to see we could keep rolling out lines and not worry about who we were up against. That’s good for our team, I guess,” said Bergeron.

Michael Ryder, who flanked Savard along with Tyler Seguin at even strength, finished the night with a goal and two assists.

“I think [Savard’s return] just gives us a little more depth, you know. We have our three centermen that were here last year, and then [Gregory Campbell] comes in and I think we have the four lines that we can roll with, and it’s just huge,” said Ryder. “We have the different options and then Savvy is big on the power play, and I think from here we’ve got to do a lot of the same things that we did tonight.”

There’s a morale boost too that comes with a player like Savard rejoining the squad. The bench is definitely noisier and that can only be a positive.

“I know that he usually leads the way when it comes to chirping,” said Julien. “He’s good on the bench; he really is. He talks a lot. And I know that when he comes to the bench, and anyone who’s played on his line will tell you, he’s always talking about different plays and that’s what makes him such a good playmaker.”

The Bruins had to trade Matt Hunwick for a prospect we might never see in the NHL in order to make room for Savard. If you look at it at as a Hunwick-for-Savard swap, however, it’s definitely a winner. That was reflected in the Bruins’ effort tonight.

Now it’s up to Savard to pay back those that welcomed him so warmly with some production in the games ahead, possibly Saturday night in the grudge match in Toronto.

As for Savvy being back, it makes so the opposition never gets a chance to relax. We’re a three-headed monster with an even scarier 4th monster with big teeth. They can’t line-match against us anymore. One of their lines is going to be left exposed.

MCK… That Lashoff reference was stellar! I called my buddy, when Lashoff got shipped to Toronto in the off-season… “Hey, did you see the Leafs got one of the Bruins 1st round picks back?!” He got so excited. Then I added… “Yeah, from 2006.”

Everyone on here is quite critical, especially of Seguin. How many NHL’rs do you see with the ability to make d-men look like they’re standing still? Backcheckers can’t keep up with him. Sure he looks lost sometimes. He’s 19! If where he should be on the ice is all we’re worried about, then we needn’t be worried. It’s the easiest to teach. You can’t teach how to sniff out the slot, beat a guy to it and then finish once you’re there. Chill everyone. He already has 2 more points that Thornton did in his rookie season.

As for Ryder, he’s a pure goal-scorer. If they give you any defense, take it as a bonus. Kane (-3), Chris Stewart (-2), Nash (-2), Marleau (-11), Malkin (-3). There’s a quick 5 goal-scorers (54 goals between them), all from winning teams, with minus’. I suppose no one is noticing that the guy everyone seems to be “hating”, is on pace for 30 goals and 70 points this year?!

I know he’s not a top prospect per se, but from everything I read it seems like there’s more than a decent chance that we’ll be seeing Colby Cohen back in the NHL one way or another. Am I wrong to assume that much? It was primarily a cap move, but I don’t think they would’ve surrendered Hunwick for a complete dud or anything.

can Savard come back from injury every other night from here out? that’d be great. Seguin has been not-so-good. they’ll loan him away and hopefully he’ll come back with less confusion in his brain. Ryder is terrible, again. when the puck is in a corner opposite him, he looks like a retarded child who has dropped his food or toy and has no idea what happened nor what to do about it. let him not play hard without the puck somewhere else, please. Ryder, Sturm and Paille for a top-four defenseman, NOW. then keep McQuaid and sit Stuart. still roster action to be done, but last night surely was a step in the right direction.

Great to see Savard out there. He may not have been at his best, but you saw some flashes of his old self. He is so so good at making plays. I hope he can help Seguin, because I honestly think he is lost on the ice. He is basically just running around out there, and gets the occasional open space break…

Nice to see him back. Looked super rusty to me, but there were flashes. He and Seguin need to come together. Seguin was all over the place tonight and when Savard has his wits about him again, he needs to tell Seguin where to be and when.

We all need to move on from the Hunwick thing. Hunwick is barely an NHL player. This is a Lashoff redux